


An Alluring Liar

by BloodyLipstick



Category: Hazbin Hotel (Web Series)
Genre: 1920s, Alternate Universe - 1920s, Alternate Universe - Cabaret, Cabarets, Dark Magic, Demons, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Forbidden Love, Implied Sexual Content, Love, Rape/Non-con Elements, Serial Killers, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-21
Updated: 2020-08-21
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:22:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26024164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BloodyLipstick/pseuds/BloodyLipstick
Summary: High class young lady Charlotte Magne has three secrets:1. She lived something terrible.2. She's the owner and star of the Hazbin Cabaret.3. She's famous radio host and shark loan Alastor Sharpe's lover.Her life isn't perfect, she's an outcast in society, the man she loves is engaged to another woman and her parents insist on marrying her to a cruel man she loathes.But it isn't so bad: she's found a way to help people who have been through the same as her, she's healing people and herself, she has her friends and above all she has Alastor: he fills her life with smiles and songs and love.But a Prince Charming doesn't usually come in a black horse, nor his kisses taste like blood or his touch hurts. She should've paid attention to her mother's bed stories and her father's warnings about men, perhaps that would've saved her life.
Relationships: Alastor/Charlie Magne
Kudos: 21





	1. 1. La Harlotte, a cabaret star

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello hello! How is everyone? Welcome to my first Hazbin Hotel fanfiction! I do intend to write more but I'd like to see how this one does first.  
> So I really hope you enjoy my story.  
> I own nothing, but if I did I wouldn't change a bit of it.

Everyone is expectant. Hushed voices and hungry glances. 

_ Where is she? Let her out! _

Then, the curtains move. Slowly. So painfully slowly.

Crimson parts to reveal the vague shape of a woman in the darkness.

_ Turn on the lights! Let us see! _

The lights go on. And there she is. 

Pale skin. Pastel rose tight clothes contouring her harmonious figure. How jealous they are of her lacy corset hugging her round soft breasts and tiny waist. Her slender legs covered in silky stockings crossed on one side of the chair, her bare arms laying lazily on her lap and her neck leaning upfront. Her face is hidden by her white top hat adorned with pale pink roses and bows.

She's all pink and white, silk and lace. She could easily be an angel. 

But her hair, eyes and lips tell a different story. Black as a moonless night, bright as dragon glass.

The long black waves falling down her shoulders enhance her pale skin. Her dark lips make her smile even more seductive, but the obscure void in her eyes couldn't hide her warm gaze.

La Harlotte herself.

However, while her beauty was stunning, it was her voice what enchanted all men in the Hazbin Cabaret.

She lifted her chin and smiled sadly at her audience. Her voice flowed to the air soft and whispering. 

_ French are glad to die for love _

_ They delight in fighting duels _

She opened her arms to the men staring at her and hugged the microphone, standing up as she sang the next verses. 

_ But I prefer a man who lives _

_ And gives expensive jewels. _

She threw her hat aside and jumped from the stage to dance around the public. 

_ A kiss on the hand may be quite continental, _

_ But diamonds are a girl's best friend. _

She went around barely touching their faces, but enough to make them go crazy for her. 

_ A kiss may be grand, but it won't pay the rental _

_ On your humble flat, or help you feed your _

_ pussy cat. _

So many wanted to reach her, to feel the softness of her skin and the scent of her clothes. But they couldn't. The most strict rule in her shows: absolutely one could touch her. 

_ Men grow cold as girls grow old, _

_ And we all lose our charms in the end. _

She danced back to the stage and sang at the top of her lungs. 

_ But square-cut or pear-shaped, _

_ These rocks don't lose their shape. _

_ Diamonds are a girl's best friend! _

_ 'Cause we are living in a material world _

_ And I am a material girl _

"Com'on gentlemen! Don't you want me tonight?!"

The complete audience went mad with cheering and throwing money and roses to her as she danced to the last verses. 

_ He's your guy when stocks are high _

_ But beware when they start to descend! _

_ 'Cause that's when those louses go back to their spouses! _

_ Diamonds... are a... girl's... best... friend _

Every man in the room had to fight the urge to run after her as she disappeared behind the curtains.

Every man, except him. 

Alastor Sharpe was grinning like any other guy in the room. But he was quiet. How interesting, Charlotte would always find a way to show her boldness without losing her grace. He didn't like this particular way, that for sure. He loathed it. 

Exposing herself to all these men who couldn't appreciate the jewel she was… who would use her to satisfy their vulgar desires and then throw her away without much thinking. He was  _ disgusted _ by such idea, oh he was, but what made his nerves  _ crave for blood _ was the mere possibility of them wanting to  _ keep _ her, to have her charming light and warm for themselves.

He closed his eyes to keep calm. There was no need to do anything, they would never ever touch her while he lived. Nor after.

He sighed with a smile, almost laughing at himself, he couldn't help it —he had to see her. Discreetly, Alastor moved from the bar to the backstage. 

…

La Harlotte walked into her dressing room still smiling. She closed the door behind herself and sat in front of the mirror.

Her black eyes stared back at her, framed by her ebony wig. She smiled and took it off. Carefully, she put it in a wooden box. It was one of her most precious possessions.

"Miss Harlotte, can I come in?"

"Yes, Vaggie" she answered, wiping out the black lipstick out of her lips.

A young Latina girl stepped inside and quickly closed the door before anyone could see her friend's blonde hair and red lips.

"Be careful, Charlie! What if someone recognizes you?"

"Call me Charlotte, Vaggie. And no one will do that. Charlie Magne is a lame ass girl, what'd she do in a place like this?"

Vaggie rolled her eyes.

"Then  _ you  _ call me Vagatha. Look, I’m only asking you to be careful. Your father'd have everyone here killed if he knew about this."

"You worry too much. If Daddy ever finds out, he’ll close it and then we’ll reopen it."

Cotton King by day and alcohol-dealer by night, Lucifer Magne would indeed burn the world in hellfire if he ever learned about the Hazbin Cabaret —his precious and darling princess, a cabaret dancer. Imagine.

Quite hippocrate, actually, while he himself owned most cabarets in the city —perhaps the country— and took a wife —her own mother— from one of them.

Perhaps her mother would be less outraged by the idea."La Harlotte" was her daughter more than Charlie could ever be. Charlotte learned from her everything she needed to know to open and run the Hazbin Cabaret , making a lot of questions about her life as a cabaret dancer carefully and little by little. 

She needed to know desperately because she felt it was the only way she’d ever regain control over herself and her own body after... that.

_ That bastard… _

That's how the mythic Harlotte was born. She was the star of her own show, literally; everyone in town wanted her and she showed herself to them but they couldn't reach her. It was certainly empowering.

"Also, honey,” Vaggie continued, “I don’t think your reputation could have any more stains… much less dancing in a cabaret.”

Charlotte was a failure as a high class lady. Clumsy, too honest and a good friend of servants and outcasts. If society ever knew that she was a cabaret dancer, she’d definitely lose all what was last of her reputation. And her family's.

“It's time for my show, Charlie, you should use it to get out unnoticed," said Vaggie.

Charlotte smiled and jumped clapping.

"Of course not Vaggie! I love watching your dancing and you know it. Everybody loves your dancing!"

She laughed bitterly.

"They don't like my dancing, they only watch me because I'm Latina. It's morbid."

Charlotte took her hands and smiled warmly.

"That's because you're beautiful."

Vaggie blushed furiously red over her copper skin and tried to hide it behind her chocolate straight hair.

“I guess I’ll be going then.  _ Please, please, please  _ be careful if you’re gonna go around like that.”

Charlotte smiled and waved at her. Vaggie finally left.

She closed her eyes and sighed to the loneliness in her dressing room. Vaggie was right, that was why she was such a good handmaiden, always keeping her from trouble, and the only one of her friends keeping her job for the Magne family.

“I believe you were expecting me, my dear.”

She looked up immediately to find a handsome smiling face. One she knew all too well.

“Alastor!” she ran to his feet and stopped just in time from jumping into his arms. He didn't like to be touched so abruptly.

“I didn’t know you were going to be here!”

“Nor did I, my bubbly apple. I was here in a business affair, you see.”

Charlotte raised an eyebrow, her smile wearing out a bit.

“Oh? Here in my cabaret? With whom?” she wondered cautiously.

He almost frowned.

“Old nice Stolas is quite fond of you, my darling.”

He was always smiling, absolutely always, actually it was quite scary how he never ever stopped smiling. But even in that moment when he showed off his best smile, she could tell he was furious. And she was suddenly terrified: she knew he would never hurt her, but she also knew what a dangerous man hers could be.

“Well… what can I say? I mean, isn’t he married?”

“That certainly doesn’t matter to him when it comes to watching you dancing and singing, sweetheart.”

Was he scolding her?

"Oh, come on Al, I could be his daughter. I mean his actual daughter grew up with me! It’d be sick."

"Perhaps, but in that case, he pretty much forgot he had a daughter while watching you."

"Do you think he suspects who I am?"

He chuckled and adjusted his glasses.

"No, dear. I don't think he was watching your face as carefully as the rest of you."

_ Gods, not again…  _ she thought distressed. She had to change the subject before the Cabaret became a crime scene.

"Anyway, I've told you not to bring him here! This place is legal enough and I'd like to keep it that way. Excess of attention could draw my dad's sight here and I can't have that."

Alastor chuckled softly, dismissing her words with his hands.

"My dear, I'd never bring anyone here to watch you. But Stolas owes me a great bunch of greens and he promised to pay tonight."

"And did he?"

He shrugged, smiling amused.

"Some. He'll bring the rest in a couple of minutes. That's why his precious Octavia is currently locked in her dressing chamber."

Charlotte swallowed hard. She adored him, but he scared her. Octavia was Stolas’ daughter and she knew her since they were little girls.

"You won't hurt her, right?”

"Of course not, my charming belle!" His smile turned a little sadistic. "As long as Stolas pays me tonight, I've been very patient with him."

Charlotte frowned, rage invading her for a second.

"She isn't to blame, Alastor! It was her father who made a deal with you."

"Indeed. And he gave his own daughter as a guarantee for the money. Poor girl will be a victim of her own father, my dear, not mine."

Charlotte seemed shocked. Octavia was such a sweet and shy girl, she was a very good person.

"I really thought he loved her…" she mumbled.

Alastor laughed.

"He does, my sweet kitty. But he loves money and whores more."

She turned to her makeup table to pretend she was reorganizing it.

"What are you gonna do to her?" she wondered in a whisper.

"Probably sell her to some pervert in the capital. Or take her to any of your father's brothels."

Charlotte couldn't help but listening in her head Vaggie's words about him again.

_ "How can you love someone like that? He's a demon! He tricks people into losing everything to him! He isn’t different from the men who hurt each of us! _

"Why did he make a deal with you? He's the head of a very rich and old family."

Alastor let out a loud cackling.

"Oh, yes he was! If he didn't waste it all in vices, perhaps he wouldn't have to come to me every so often".

_ He's a demon! He sells false hope and illusions and makes you pay with everything you love! He's gonna do the same to you. You're his hostage against your dad's hounds! _

It took her a great deal of courage, but she had to ask:

"If… if my dad was to make a deal with you… and he used me as… as a guarantee… would you accept it?"

"I would never hurt you, Charlotte. You know that."

She glanced at him in the mirror. He was wearing a tight smile, clearly mad at her for suggesting such a thing.

She smiled weakly at him.

"But I would, in fact, accept it."

_ What?! _

She turned to stare at him, horrified.

"Wh…?!"

"I would, because I know if your life and well-being were at stake, Lucifer Magne would pay for sure."

It didn't make it better.

"Just like I accepted sweet Octavia from Stolas,” he smiled warmly at her. "I am not interested in hurting people, Charlotte, I merely need something they truly love to make sure I'll get my sum."

He closed the distance between them and caressed her cheek.

"And I could never hurt something that brightens up my life. Something that I love this much".

_ Something, not someone… _

But then he kissed her and she forgot about it, she forgot about everything. His lips kissed hers softly as his right hand pressed the back of her neck and and the other her back; she lifted up her arms to bury her hands in his auburn hair and hugged him tightly.

Oh, yes, he was the other one of her three biggest secrets: Alastor Sharpe, local famous and everyone’s favorite radio host, one of the most sought-after bachelors in town before he became engaged to jazz singer Mimzy Moors. Scandalous, it was, so much that she never dared to tell anyone but her closest friends, the Hazbin main dancers.

Their story began after Mimzy and before the Hazbin Cabaret’s success. Mimzy Moors owned the most successful cabaret in New Orleans,  _ Mimzy’s Palace _ and when Charlotte’s business started to grow, she wanted to see for herself what was so good to steal her clientele. That night she brought him with her, she wanted Alastor to tell her how bad and tasteless this new place was, but he couldn’t take his eyes off the show: he was fascinated with the  _ Harlotte _ : such beauty, such grace and such talent.

It was such a show, everyone was cheering and clapping and asking the girls (and was that a guy?) to come out again. The attractive thing about the Hazbin Cabaret was that it wasn't a common one: it was elegant, clean and splendid in burgundy velvet furniture, dark red walls and golden light. What made people come and come and come was its dancer’s power and security. It was stunning, they all behaved and moved as if they were worth everything.

But Alastor was sure he had seen the Harlotte before, so he looked at Mimzy, who was busy writing down everything she found tasteless in the Hazbin Cabaret and got up excusing himself, she mumbled something for an answer, absorbed in her critique.

He snuck backstage to go look for the girl, he had to see her up close to make sure he wasn’t mistaken. But before he could make it to the door which held a sign with her name, a girl cut his path.

“Hi there, handsome. Looking for something?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like this chapter was too long, so if you like better short chapters, let me know! Also if you have any suggestion or there's something you'd like to see, let me know in the comment section!
> 
> Btw, I'm a lot like Alastor so I think it'll be easy for me to write him but soft cheering characters like Charlie are very difficult for me to write so I worked really really really hard on this chapter to not go out of character with her. Please let me know if I ever do!
> 
> P.S. the song is Sparkling Diamond from Moulin Rouge


	2. 2. A Different Kind Of Therapy

“Hi there, handsome. Looking for something?”

It was once of the other dancers, the  _ Cherri Bomb _ . She had already taken off her pink wig and costume, but her face was still done. Yet, behind the makeup, he was pretty sure he had seen this one before too, which disturbed him a little. That and the fact that she was wearing nothing but a very revealing hot pink robe over her naked body.

Then another voice sounded behind him.

“What is it, handsome? Does a pretty girl make you nervous?”

He turned his back and saw a young lad, the one that was on stage before wearing  _ weird  _ clothes and a blonde wig.  _ Angel Dust _ if he wasn’t wrong. Now he was wearing white dress pants and a pink unbuttoned shirt and his natural hair was light blonde.

“Or does a pretty boy?” he pressed, both of them waiting for an answer.

He cleared his throat.

“I’m looking for the  _ Harlotte _ .”

“And you found the  _ Angel Dust  _ and the  _ Cherri Bomb _ . You better be going, handsome.”

He didn’t sound threatening, but something in his face told him he wouldn’t hesitate in protecting his co-workers.

“Well, thank you for your help, friend.” Alastor was about to step on and knock the door but the other girl stopped him.

“Are you looking for some fun, hon’? The Harlotte won’t give you any. None of us will, this isn’t a brothel. And we won’t hesitate to tear you to pieces if you try something”.

Explosive as her nickname suggested. Alastor was about to lose his temper when the  _ Harlotte  _ opened the door from inside the room.

“Are you arguing? Vaggie is about to finish the night, we all better leave before…”

She wasn’t in costume anymore. She looked so different, yet she was clearly the same. Her hair was soft blonde, her eyes much warmer than what she let it show on stage and her lips were naturally dark red.

She saw Alastor and then her friends and then Alastor again.

“Oh my god! What is he doing here?! Does he know?!”

Then it clicked in his head. Charlotte Magne, daughter or Lucifer and Lilith Magne, only heiress to the Magne Cotton Empire  —and some illegal alcohol business— , former fiancé to Seviathan Von Eldritch.

“He didn’t until you opened the door, you numb!”

Cherri seemed ready to tear his limbs apart. 

“Miss Charlotte Magne?”

The Harlotte covered her face with her hands.

“Oh, goodness, no! You’re Alastor Sharpe, the radio host! Please, please don't say anything! We’ll pay you!”

“We will?” buffed Angel.

Alastor chuckled.

“My dear, I’m not exactly…”

“Please! I’ll do anything!”

He couldn’t help but laughing again.

“I don't intend to tell anyone your secret, Miss Magne,” he assured smiling kindly.

Since then, Alastor became a recurring customer, at first because Mimzy wanted to go and write critiques about the shows to have them anonymously published in the newspaper, which worked at the very beginning but as more and more important men went to see them, no one paid attention to her lies. But in the meantime, it served for Alastor and Charlotte to get to know each other behind the stage, without the wig and makeup.

As time passed, Charlie got many new dancers to be part of the Hazbin family: Charlie dedicated her days to look for girls who had been sexually hurt or assaulted  — like her friends Vagatha "Vaggie", Cherry "Cherri Bomb", Anthony "Angel Dust" and herself — to work with her in the Cabaret as a way of regaining control and confidence over their bodies. It was working perfectly with most girls.

It was like a different kind of therapy and much better one than electroshocking.

Vagatha, Cherry and Anthony used to work for her family in Magne Manor: Vagatha was  —and still— her personal handmaiden, but before that and before she came to North America, she used to be married to an old man who paid her parents for her and he assaulted her physically and sexually everyday of her life before she ran away from him; Cherry and Anthony used to work for the same pimp —forcibly— before they both escaped and found a job as part of the house staff in Magne Manor, they were quickly fired due to their lack of experience and skills but not before they could befriend Charlotte.

She was very proud of how her little business was growing, but as more and more dancers kept coming and coming, she couldn’t tell everyone her secret identity, so the only ones who knew she was an upper class girl were Vaggie, Cherry and Angel.

They and Alastor, who was getting a special place in Charlotte’s heart.

Vaggie didn’t like it, she said it was too risky, but Anthony and Cherry were all in for their friendship, always hoping it would become something more.

And they were so right: soon enough they were dating behind society’s back. Back in the day, Alastor’s job as a radio host, while making him famous and admired, wasn’t enough to keep a comfortable lifestyle in the middle of the crisis, so he had planned to marry Mimzy because she was crazy for him and her Cabaret was a successful business. But then he started his own business: lending money with very high interests  —a shark loan— , and he was very good at it —he made people give guarantees and since it was so easy for him to read them, he knew if it was something they truly cared about. 

Of course it wasn’t the most legal way to get money but it worked. And what was more important and puzzled Charlotte’s mind for a while, was that he didn’t need Mimzy’s money anymore.

Alastor was seven years older than her, he was already promised to another woman and Charlotte’s family was insistent in marrying her to Seviathan, the heir of the Von Eldritch family; in other worlds, she knew their relationship would never meet the light.

But she loved him so fiercely and he loved her just as much.

And now it was touching and warming seeing him so protective of her, it truly was, but it was also heart-breaking, what was the point in being so possessive of each other, if they were going to marry different people?

Alastor noticed something was off: Charlie was barely responding to his lips and her hands had fallen from his hair to his chest.

“What’s the matter?” he asked, taking her out of her memories.

She looked confused at his eyes.

“Wh-what?”

Alastor caressed her hair.

“Is everything alright, my demon belle?”

She couldn’t smile, and she wondered once again how he managed to be always smiling.

“I was just thinking… do you ever wonder…?” she shook her head and glared at him dead in the eye. “I hate to see you with Mimzy.”

His smile didn’t flinch, but his eyes revealed his surprise.

“My dear, I…”

“I hate that there’s no point in hating it, because you’re going to marry her anyway.”

“Charlie, list…”

“And I hate that she can go around with you freely. Why are you going to marry her? Back when we met, you needed the money but now? You’re the richest shark loan in hundreds of miles around!”

_ Oh shit, I’m fucking crying…  _ she hated to cry because she cried about everything since she was a child.

But he only wiped out her tears with his fingers. 

“Someday you’ll go back to Magne Manor in the privileged areas of this city. And you’ll be Seviathan Von Eldritch’s beautiful wife. That day, I’ll have to take my own path and Mimzy is a very easy to manipulate woman that won’t give me any trouble.”

“I don’t want to marry him! How many times must I tell everyone? I  _ won’t  _ marry him, my parents can’t make me!” she cried fiercely.

Alastor gazed at her merrily. And laughed, and then cackled. And she felt her heart sinking.

“Did I say something funny, Alastor?!”

It took him an entire minute to regain his composure. Charlie was almost fuming. 

“Alastor! I swear…!”

But whatever she was going to swear, she forgot it when he cupped her face in his hands.

“You can be so funny, my dear. It is within your nature. But tell me, right now while we are engaged to else people, we are here together, why would being married stop us?”

So he was already looking forward to having her as his mistress when he was married to Mimzy?

“So I’ll be your mistress? When you’re married to Mimzy and I’m a spinster?” she asked raging.

But he never stopped gently stroking her face.

“My dearest apple, there is a difference between a mistress and a lover.”

“Is there?”

He kissed her forehead.

“We’ll be lovers because I love you.”

Oh he was so good with words and she was so easy to get, not because she was stupid, but because she was eager to believe.

With bright eyes, she leaned forward to kiss him, staining his face with her tears. This time he entangled his hands in her long blonde hair and pulled it down to have her even closer to him. It hurt but she didn’t complain, instead she pulled his head closer to hers, so he ended up leaning over and holding her body while kissing fervidly, as if they were dancing a tango.

And then, the door was abruptly opened. Charlotte would’ve never known there was someone there if Alastor hadn’t immediately straightened up and glared at the intruder.

"Harlot, where the hell is Cherry?!  _ Addict _ is about to start!"

A furious silver blonde dude stared at them and it took him a second to realize what he had interrupted.

It was Angel. He raised an eyebrow and smirked. Charlotte could already hear every detail of the rumors he was going to spread. But, while awkward, it was a relief that it was him and not any other girl who was seeing Charlie without her wig and makeup.

"Very sorry to interrupt your night, but I really need to find Sugar Tits."

Charlie cleared her throat and let go of Alastor.

"I'm afraid you'll have to improvise tonight. Cherry had to leave early."

"Oh shit, right, her period starts today!” he exclaimed exaperated. It was probably weird but Charlie loved that he knew when all their periods started, hers, Cherry’s and Vaggie’s. He was the perfect friend.

“What am I gonna do now, Puppy Eyes? These guys watch our show 'cause we almost fuck on stage! Shit, I fucking quit for tonight, Charlotte, sent Vaggie or go yourself, I don't care."

Alastor’s smile trembled, he didn’t like him calling her “puppy eyes” but it was way better than “sugar tits”.

Charlotte stepped firmly in front of Angel and shook him by the shoulders. This was the perfect chance to face one of his traumas: he didn’t like performing alone because his former pimp, Valentino, used to make him do that before attacking him.

"Angel, why do we sexualize ourselves here?"

Angel frowned and rolled his eyes.

"Hmm, for money?" 

"Do you think I need money?"

"I guess not. Look, I know what you're gonna say but…"

"We do so for empowerment! So get the hell out there and show those perverts all they'll never get!"

Angel tried to hide it rolling his eyes again, but Charlotte's words worked on him.

Alastor watched grinning how easy it was for Charlotte to share her light and cheer with others. When Angel closed the door, he embraced Charlotte from behind and talked in her ear.

"You're a witch, my dear. You enchant people with glamours of love and luck."

She sighed.

“I wished I could enchant Octavia right now”.

He kissed her cheek and let go.

“You’ll do in a short while, my darling. Stolas must be back already.”

Like that, he left. And she sighed to herself again, she loved him so much…

She couldn’t even imagine...

…

“Well, my friend, that would be all! Your little bird is already home. A pleasure to make business with you!”

Stolas glared suspiciously at him. Damn the day he decided dealing with this demon was a good idea.

“How do I know Via is actually home?”

Alastor took a sip of his whiskey before answering.

“My good friend, have I ever lied to you?”

“You’re a trickster, Alastor! One can’t trust you!”

“Trickster and liar are different concepts, my good fella. Now go home to find you nice Octavia and your good wife.”

Stolas left before anyone could stop him, almost running, eager to find his daughter safe and sound in his mansion.

Alastor smiled widely and took a look at the stage. Angel was putting on some show with modern dancing. He decided to leave before Charlotte could see him. Perhaps he should see her home, but he had stuff to deal with.

“Velvet, my sweet, would you be a dear and see Charlotte makes it home safely?”

The shadows in the cabaret moved fast to take the shape of a short female figure with two ponytails. It left just as it appeared, towards the backstage, so Alastor deduced Charlotte was still there.

Then, he left.

He walked around town smiling to the night. Such a pleasure the nightly breeze was. He stopped in front of the lively local, full of different kinds of music, laughter and light.

_ Franklin's and Rosie's Paradise _

He stepped in and a poorly dressed girl received him at the entrance.

"Welcome to Paradise, what kind of fun are you looking for tonight?

Before Alastor could dismiss the girl, a tall woman in very fancy clothing came to scare her away.

"Away with you, brainless newbie! This is a friend of the house!"

"Yes, ma'am, I'm so sorry ma'am."

The woman smiled and led him to the private area barely touching his jacket. She knew him well enough to know better than taking his arm.

"Alastor, you come and go always taking my employees and clients' attention. Soon enough I'll have to make them pay for every look they take at you."

"I'm sure you'd love to, my dear friend. How's the night?"

"Quiet lame. Yet, better than last week. The crisis has the rich less inclined to spend what's left of their fortunes in a casino."

"You can hardly complain, you must agree. Few are as good as you are."

Rosie's grin competed with Alastor's

"As  _ we _ are, dear sir. Stolas paid you already, I presume."

"And  _ I _ presume he came right here to waste it all last month, right after I lent him the money."

"Not all, no. He likes your little bird enough to spend half of his entrances being with her."

" _ Watching _ her, my dear".

"Of course, otherwise he'd be dead ready, wouldn't he?”

Alastor shrugged. Of course he would.

They reached the bar together and away from curious looks. They always raised some gossip even though he went to visit the casino almost every night. Officially, it was a restaurant, and it used to be an actual one back when Franklin and Rosie we're newlyweds. But only a month after the wedding, the husband left a note saying he was leaving with a Cabaret dancer and he disappeared. 

Rosie and Alastor met right after, the day his disappearance became public and they became very good friends, then he asked Charlotte to help Rosie turn the restaurant into a casino —illegally— and the woman and Alastor became business partners. Charlotte was eager to help as she always was.

There in their usual spot —the furthest corner of the bar— were their other two friends and the lot of people who knew about his relationship with Charlotte Magne.

A very little woman —more like a girl— came running to him, mop in hand.

"Oh, hello! Good night, mister Alastor! If you had arrived any earlier, Mimzy would've been here!"

"Good night, Niffty. How careless of me! I should’ve come before."

Niffty was the head of the cleaning staff on the casino, but she more likely did all the work herself. She was very enthusiastic and almost hyperactive and couldn't spend one second without running around. She also happened to be Mimzy's best friend so he had to be careful with what he said about her in front of her.

"Cut it, you freak! I bet my life you wait on the door until she leaves!"

And that was Husk, the barman. The only one of the few people who knew everything about Alastor and still had the balls to speak like that to him.

Niffty hit his head with the mop angrily. For a person her size, she was surprisingly strong.

"What does that mean?! Mister Alastor loves Mimzy! Tell him, Mister Alastor!”

Alastor chuckled.

"Of course I do, my dear." 

Almost laughing, Rosie interfered.

"Niffty, I see a disaster over those tables, would you please…?"

"Of course, ma'am! Anytime, ma'am!"

She ran to the tables.

"Husk, for the love of God, you must be more careful! We all know what Mimzy is capable of and if she learned about Charlotte, I don't want to imagine what'd she do to the poor girl."

Husk buffed.

"Like you gave a fuck about her."

Rosie's grin disappeared in a second.

"Of course I care! Dear Charlotte helped me out a lot with this place."

"If you cared, you'd tell her who this asshole really is."

Rosie laughed.

“No one can protect her from the evils in this city better than Alastor.”

Husk glared suspiciously at Alastor, who seemed very interested in hearing his next statement.

“Only cause he’s the worst of ‘em.”

Alastor laughed, but he was annoyed.

“My very good friend, you overestimate me! Since when a simple shark loan like myself…?”

“Don’t give me your bullshit! Just ‘cause you been clean for a while doesn't mean you a saint!”

“Alright, Husk, that’s enough! Alastor would never hurt Charlotte,” she glanced at her smiling friend, “isn’t that right, Alastor?

He took a few seconds before answering.

“Of course not.”

“ _ Of course not _ ,” Husk mocked, “you ain’t idiotic. But what happens when you marry her? You don't need her anymore and then what?”

_ It’s crazy what you do for a friend.  _ Anyone else anywhere else and they probably wouldn't be standing any longer, but this was Rosie’s business and he quite enjoyed Husk. But there was a limit.

“Uh? What happens to her then?” he pressed and Alastor noticed Rosie seemed interested in his answer.

“I’ll grant her her dearest dream; we’ll have a happy family and I’ll make sure that she will be always beautiful and always by my side.”

Husk mumbled something and left to the other end of the bar table. He was very much done with this man’s shit.

Rosie observed him and narrowed her eyes. As much as she loved Alastor, she liked Charlotte.

“You can’t have what you want if you kill her.”

Alastor chuckled and played with his drink watching the liquor in his glass creating small bubbles.

“My sweet Rose, with a business like yours you should be better versed in heritage law.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

He finished his drink before answering.

“I’ll marry Charlotte and when she gives me a son, I’ll be the head of the Magne Family.”

Rosie grimaced disgusted and quite horrified.

“As long as you don’t kill the baby too and don’t make Charlie suffer more than needed, I’m not interested in your affairs.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Too long or too short?


End file.
